Shereen Gomaa founded her nonprofit in 2016. photograph by Dhanraj Emanuel
In her kitchen in Winston-Salem, Shereen Gomaa fluffs rice and lentils to make koshary, a traditional Egyptian entrée. A small group of women work alongside her, preparing hummus and other side dishes. Many of the women are refugees.
In 2016, Gomaa started Delicious, a nonprofit organization and catering business, when she noticed an influx of refugees arriving in the Piedmont after fleeing civil war in Syria. Gomaa, who immigrated to the United States from Egypt in 2002, knew that they needed support. “In their situation,” she says, “I would need people supporting me and making me feel at home in a place that has a totally different culture, language, religion, and food.”
Gomaa mostly hires women refugees who use their cooking skills to support their families and also gain confidence in a new country. And the mission doesn’t stop there: In addition to selling meals at Buie’s Market in Winston-Salem and catering local events — sometimes at Wake Forest University — Delicious also donates meals to local homeless shelters and the Ronald McDonald House.
For women who work for Delicious, preparing meals that are traditional to their native countries narrows the distance between cultures, making North Carolina feel more like home.
To learn more, visit deliciousbyshereen.com.
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Mark our words: Whether they nod to North Carolina or were penned by its residents, these notable, quotable passages remind us of the power of speech inspired by our state.
When one stream flows into another, the two chart a new course for the future — together.
When the weather outside is frightful, one chef serves loved ones dishes so delightful.
A historic Rose Bowl pitted Duke University against Oregon State in Durham. Then, in the dark days of World War II, those same football players — and a legendary coach — joined forces to fight for freedom.
